The Epidemic of Opioid Abuse and Diversion: Public Health Implications, Primary Care Needs and Usage of Prescription Drug Monitoring Databases

The last two decades have seen a dramatic rise in the abuse, diversion, and overdose rates of opiate medications. This paper will look at the reasons behind the surge, and the concerning statistics about overdoses and deaths resulting from significantly expanded use of these medications. In order to stem the epidemic, three key stakeholders have an opportunity to align interests in decreasing abuse and overdoses. Primary care providers are major prescribers of opiate prescriptions, yet they lack adequate training in chronic pain management, screening for addiction, and counseling patients with opiate addiction. Collaboration between public health organizations and primary care providers working to expand addiction recovery services in the community, as well as to address the underlying socioeconomic determinants of health, will be vital to the interventions. The Prescription Drug Monitoring Database is a technological tool that is utilized to track prescriptions of controlled substances. Improvement in interstate sharing and interoperability with primary care providers' electronic medical records will be needed to ensure widespread usage by providers.Master of Public Healt